Knockdown folding package

ABSTRACT

A knockdown folding package is provided which is formed from a single blank of flexible lightweight material. The package includes a central area and a plurality of flaps (for example, four flaps) extending outwardly from the central area. The flaps may be folded one upon the other to provide a central compartment to hold articles. Means for releasably retaining the flaps in a folded condition are provided associated with the flaps, such means preferably consisting of &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Velcro&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; coupling members.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Elwood Frank Robertson Halifax, Canada [21] Appl. No. 888,511

[22] Filed Dec. 29,1969

[45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee Flowood Industries Limited Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada [32] Priority Sept. 23, 1969 3 3 Canada [54] KNOCKDOWN FOLDING PACKAGE 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.CI 150/52 R, 229/87 R [51] Int. Cl 865d 65/06 [50] Field of Search 150/52 R, 52 C; 229/87 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,172,204 2/1916 Gerhardstein 150/52 R 2,353,932 7/l944 Schaffer ISO/52 R X 3,l85,197 5/1965 Spiro ISO/52 R 3,024,824 3/1962 Bass ISO/52 R l,385,695 7/1921 MacCormack l50/52 R 3,295,577 1/l967 Danielson ISO/52 R 3,380,504 4/1968 Green ISO/52 R FOREIGN PATENTS 331,129 6/1930 Great Britain ISO/52 R Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-Spencer & Kaye ABSTRACT: A knockdown folding package is provided which is formed from a single blank of flexible lightweight material. The package includes a central area and a plurality of flaps (for example, four flaps) extending outwardly from the central area. The flaps may be folded one upon the other to provide a central compartment to hold articles. Means for releasably retaining the flaps in a folded condition are provided associated with the flaps, such means preferably consisting ofVelcro" coupling members.

'PATENTEDNUV 30 |97| SHEET 2 [1F 2 INVENTOR rank Robertson 1 M a &

ATTORNEYS.

1 KNOCKDOWN FOLDING PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a novel knockdown package for carrying one or a plurality of individual articles. More particularly, it relates to a novel article of manufacture for the carrying of books, more particularly, school books.

2. Description of the Prior Art Occasionally, the need arises to carry a plurality of articles in a single package where it is impossible or inconvenient to carry those same plurality of articles in one's hands. This occurs most often with respect to school books.

For certain aesthetic and conventional reasons, certain groups of students prefer not to avail themselves of the use of school bags or briefcases or attache cases to carry their books. The need therefore exists to provide such group of students, usually so-called high school students, with a means for carrying their school books.

3. Objectives of the Invention An object of this invention is the provision of a lightweight, compact, relatively inexpensive means for carrying a plurality of articles.

An object of another aspect of this invention is the provision of a lightweight, compact, weatherproof, waterproof, means for carrying one or a plurality of school books.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. Broad Statements of the Invention By a broad aspect of this invention, a knockdown package is provided comprising: a sheet of lightweight, flexible, relatively tough, relatively strong material including a central area, a plurality of flaps extending from the central area, the flaps being provided with releasably interengageable means whereby the flaps may be folded over, and temporarily secured to, one another.

2. General Description of Embodiments of the Invention Preferably, there are four or more flaps, with mutually opposed flaps being adapted to be folded over, and temporarily secured to, each other. In an especially preferred embodiment, four such flaps are provided.

The sheet should be fonned of a tough, strong, weatherproof, waterproof, lightweight, flexible material. Examples include the material known by the trademark of Climatite. Other materials include rubberized fabric, waterproof canvas, vinyl plastics, polyolefin films, or even specially treated paper.

The releasably interengageable means could be closely spaced apart snap fasteners, or pressure sensitive adhesive which are capable of many adhesion-releasing couples.

Preferably, however, it is the material known as Velcro and taught by one or more of the following Canadian patents:

709,760 Jean Billarunt May 18, I965 7l4,740 Velcro S.A. Aug. 3. I965 745,365 Jean Billurant Nov. 1, I966 748,] Jean Billarant Dec. I3. 1966 789,767 Velcro S.A. July 16, I968 796,9!4 Velcro S.A. Oct. 22, I968 815,769 American Velcro. Inc. June 24, I969 Velcro" may be described as a pair of interengageable surfaces, each surface being provided with a plurality of hooking elements, certain of the hooking elements comprising hooks and certain of the hooking elements comprising loops, and characterized by the property that pressing opposed surfaces of the hooking elements together in face-to-face relation will result in a large number of hooks engaging a large number of loops to hold the surfaces together.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS l. The Drawings In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. I in its partially enfolded condition; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in use as a package for a plurality of articles.

2. Description of the Drawings Turning now to FIG. 1, the knockdown package 10 includes a central area 11, a first flap 12 extending laterally from one imaginary marginal edge thereof, a second flap 13 extending laterally from a second imaginary marginal edge thereof, a third flap 14 extending laterally from a third imaginary marginal edge thereof, and a fourth flap 15 extending from a fourth imaginary marginal edge thereof. All the peripheral edges of flaps l2, l3, l4 and 15 are provided with stitcheddown edges I6. Since the package is a sheet, it includes inside and outside faces. Thus, flap 12 is provided with an inside face 17 and an outside face 18; flap 13 is provided with an inside face 19 and an outside face 20; flap 14 is provided with inside face 21 and outside face 22; and flap I5 is provided with inside face 23 and outside face 24.

The flaps l2, l3, l4 and 15 are provided with cooperating securing couples for temporarily securing opposite flaps to one another, i.e. for temporarily coupling flaps l2 and 14 together and for temporarily coupling flaps I3 and 15 together. Preferably the coupling means are Velcro, and, as shown, one-half of the Velcro couple 25 is secured to face 18 of flap 12, with the other half of the Velcro couple 26 being secured to face 21 of flap l4; one-half of the Velcro couple 27 is secured to face 19, with the other half of the Velcro couple being secured to face 24 of flap 15.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it is seen that books 29 are stacked on the inside face of central area II. Flap 12 is then folded over the books 29 so that face 18 and Velcro 25 is atop. Flap 14 is then folded over to rest on top of face 18 and, after being drawn over the books 29 as tightly as possible, Velcro 26 is temporarily secured to Velcro 25.

As seen in FIG. 3, flap 15 is then folded over on top of coupled flaps 12-14 so that Velcro 28 is exposed. Finally, flap I3 is folded over flap l5 and, after being drawn over the books 29 as tightly as possible, Velcro 27 is temporarily secured to Velcro 28.

It is readily seen that other fastener means and packages having more than four flaps may also be within the ambit of this invention.

Iclaim:

l. A flat envelope for carrying one or a plurality of individual articles comprising: a sheet of lightweight, flexible, relatively tough, relatively strong material, said sheet including a. a central, generally rectangular area free of apertures,

and

b. two pairs of mutually opposed flaps, each flap being one piece with said central area and being of truncated triangular shape,

c. each flap of said pair of mutually opposed flaps being provided with cooperating, releasably interengageable means, said releasably interengageable means comprising a pair of interengageable surfaces in the form of a primary component and a secondary component, said surfaces being provided with a plurality of hooking elements, certain of the hooking elements comprising hooks and certain of the elements comprising loops, and characterized by the property that pressing opposed surfaces of the hooking elements together in face-to-face relation will result in hooks engaging loops to hold the surfaces together, said means being located at the truncated triangular apex, and satisfying the requirement that d. a primary component of the cooperating, releasably interengageable means is disposed on the outside face of one selected flap of a first pair of mutually opposed flaps, and a secondary component of the cooperating, releasably interengageable means is disposed on the inside face of the other flap of the first pair of mutually opposed flaps so that one or a plurality of distinct articles may be placed on the central area and be completely retained within the confines of the envelope by the steps of l. folding one selected flap of a randomly selected pair of mutually opposed flaps over the article or articles and folding the other flap over the selected flap, thereby temporarily securing the other flap to the selected flap with the article or articles disposed between the flaps and the central area, and 2. folding one selected flap of the other pair of mutually opposed flaps over the randomly selected pair of temporarily secured flaps and folding the other flap over the selected flap, thereby temporarily securing the other flap to the selected flap, with the article or articles and the randomly selected, temporarily secured flaps between the other pair of temporarily secured flaps and the central area.

2. The envelope of claim 1 wherein said sheet is formed of rubberized fabric, waterproof canvas, polyolefin film or specially treated paper.

3. The envelope of claim l wherein said sheet is formed of a vinyl plastic. 

1. A flat envelope for carrying one or a plurality of individual articles comprising: a sheet of lightweight, flexible, relatively tough, relatively strong material, said sheet including a. a central, generally rectangular area free of apertures, and b. two pairs of mutually opposed flaps, each flap being one piece with said central area and being of truncated triangular shape, c. each flap of said pair of mutually opposed flaps being proviDed with cooperating, releasably interengageable means, said releasably interengageable means comprising a pair of interengageable surfaces in the form of a primary component and a secondary component, said surfaces being provided with a plurality of hooking elements, certain of the hooking elements comprising hooks and certain of the elements comprising loops, and characterized by the property that pressing opposed surfaces of the hooking elements together in face-to-face relation will result in hooks engaging loops to hold the surfaces together, said means being located at the truncated triangular apex, and satisfying the requirement that d. a primary component of the cooperating, releasably interengageable means is disposed on the outside face of one selected flap of a first pair of mutually opposed flaps, and a secondary component of the cooperating, releasably interengageable means is disposed on the inside face of the other flap of the first pair of mutually opposed flaps so that one or a plurality of distinct articles may be placed on the central area and be completely retained within the confines of the envelope by the steps of
 1. folding one selected flap of a randomly selected pair of mutually opposed flaps over the article or articles and folding the other flap over the selected flap, thereby temporarily securing the other flap to the selected flap with the article or articles disposed between the flaps and the central area, and
 2. folding one selected flap of the other pair of mutually opposed flaps over the randomly selected pair of temporarily secured flaps and folding the other flap over the selected flap, thereby temporarily securing the other flap to the selected flap, with the article or articles and the randomly selected, temporarily secured flaps between the other pair of temporarily secured flaps and the central area.
 2. folding one selected flap of the other pair of mutually opposed flaps over the randomly selected pair of temporarily secured flaps and folding the other flap over the selected flap, thereby temporarily securing the other flap to the selected flap, with the article or articles and the randomly selected, temporarily secured flaps between the other pair of temporarily secured flaps and the central area.
 2. The envelope of claim 1 wherein said sheet is formed of rubberized fabric, waterproof canvas, polyolefin film or specially treated paper.
 3. The envelope of claim l wherein said sheet is formed of a vinyl plastic. 